Boston Marathon

The Boston Marathon is the oldest marathon, held annually for over 100 years. It is part of the World Marathon Majors league. To participate in this major, you don’t have to be a professional athlete — you just need motivation and determination.

History of the Boston Marathon

The first Boston Marathon was held by the Boston Athletic Association on April 19, 1897. It was organized as part of the national Patriot’s Day celebration. It became an integral part of the festivities and has been held every year since. In 1969, the celebration was moved to the third Monday of April, and the marathon followed suit, meaning the date now varies each year.

John McDermott was the first winner of the Boston Marathon in 1897.

Only 15 people participated in the first race. The course distance was 39.429 km, modeled after the Olympic Games at the time. The now-standard marathon length of 42.195 km was adopted in 1924. The starting point was also changed from Ashland to Hopkinton. The finish line has always remained the same — in Boston — hence the name.

Women were officially allowed to participate in the Boston Marathon starting in 1971. Before that, women often resorted to various tactics to appear on the course much earlier. Some posed as men, others ran without bib numbers. By 1972, women could officially register and start the marathon with a race number.

Initially, the Boston Marathon was strictly a national American competition, but it quickly gained international popularity. Since 2006, the race has been part of the World Marathon Majors and is held annually.

Boston Marathon Route

The Boston Marathon course features dramatic elevation changes exceeding 130 meters. The maximum allowable difference by IAAF standards is 42 meters. This discrepancy means world records set on this course are not recognized.

The route runs through eight cities in the state of Massachusetts:

1. Hopkinton
2. Ashland
3. Framingham
4. Natick
5. Wellesley
6. Newton
7. Brookline
8. Boston

The race starts in Hopkinton and finishes on Boylston Street in Boston.

The Boston course is one of the most challenging. The most difficult parts are the Newton Hills and Heartbreak Hill. The latter is especially tough due to its placement — it is only 27 meters high, but located at the 33rd kilometer.

Between 30–35 km, runners often experience extreme fatigue and hypoglycemia — a state known as “the wall.” Glycogen depletion and muscle tissue damage on Heartbreak Hill increase the risk of injury. Marathoners slow down, making this one of the most dangerous segments, requiring serious preparation.

Experienced marathoners often use this toughest section to gain a competitive advantage. Novice or inexperienced runners tend to lose pace, making course familiarity and strategy essential for success at the Boston Marathon.

From the second mile (about 3.2 km), refreshment zones are placed alternately. On the 17th, 27th, and 34th kilometers (in Wellesley, Newton, and past Boston College), there are fueling stations providing natural-based energy gels. Runners are offered Maurten Gel 100 (non-caffeinated) and Gel 100 CAF 100 (with caffeine). The gel is consumed with water and quickly replenishes energy.

The time limit for completing the race is 6 hours.

When is the Boston Marathon Held?

The Boston Marathon was originally held on April 19, Patriot’s Day. The celebration was later moved to the third Monday of April. Unlike most marathons held on Sundays, the Boston Marathon is commonly referred to as “Marathon Monday.”

The format changed only once — in 1918, during World War I, it was held as a military relay race. The marathon was canceled in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. In 2021, it was postponed from April to October due to quarantine measures.

How to Enter the Boston Marathon?

There are two ways to get into the Boston Marathon:

• Through qualification
• Via charity

Registration opens in advance. For the 128th Boston Marathon, it starts on September 11, 2023, at 10:00 AM ET and ends on September 15, 2023, at 5:00 PM ET. Registration is handled on the official website www.baa.org. The race is scheduled for April 15, 2024. The number of participants is capped at 30,000.

The qualification window for the 128th Boston Marathon opened on September 1, 2022, and closes when registration ends. Only AIMS-certified marathon results are accepted. Other race results are not considered.

Successfully qualifying does not guarantee entry. If there are too many applicants, runners with the fastest times are selected. If there are fewer applicants, those slightly over the qualifying time (by 5–8 minutes) may still be accepted.

Runners who have participated in 10 or more Boston Marathons are eligible for early registration between August 28 and September 1, 2023. Organizers send them invitations in advance.

Charity is the alternative route. Qualification is not required, but donations must be made to specific approved organizations listed on the official website: https://www.baa.org/races/boston-marathon/charity-program. You must contact your chosen organization and donate a minimum of $5,000.

Boston marathon entry fees:

• U.S. citizens: $205
• Foreign nationals: $255

The race package includes:

• Bib number with tracking chip
• Music support throughout the course
• Special shuttle for those who drop out
• On-course nutrition
• Access to portable restrooms
• Official souvenir T-shirt
• Transfer from Boston to Hopkinton (6:00 AM to 9:30 AM)
• Gear check services
• Medal and certificate
• Pre- and post-race parties

Packages are collected at 900 Boylston Street during the Expo, held at the John B. Hynes Veterans Memorial Convention Center.

All Boston Marathon Winners

The table below lists all winners of the Boston Marathon since its inception. Anyone with enough training can participate — and possibly even make history in this major race.

Year	Men	Men Country	Men Time	Women	Women Country	Women Time
1897	John McDermott	USA	2:55:10	–	–	–
1898	Ronald MacDonald	Canada	2:42:00	–	–	–
1899	Lawrence Brignolia	USA	2:54:38	–	–	–
1900	Jack Caffery	Canada	2:39:44	–	–	–
1901	Jack Caffery	Canada	2:29:23	–	–	–
1902	Sam Mellor	USA	2:43:15	–	–	–
1903	John Lordan	Ireland	2:39:44	–	–	–
1904	Michael Spring	USA	2:38:04	–	–	–
1905	Fred Lorz	USA	2:38:25	–	–	–
1906	Tim Ford	USA	2:45:45	–	–	–
1907	Tom Longboat	Canada	2:24:24	–	–	–
1908	Tom Morrissey	USA	2:25:43	–	–	–
1909	Henry St. Yves	USA	2:29:40	–	–	–

Year	Men	Men Country	Men Time	Women	Women Country	Women Time
1910	Fred Cameron	Canada	2:28:52	–	–	–
1911	Clarence DeMar	USA	2:21:39	–	–	–
1912	Mike Ryan	USA	2:21:18	–	–	–
1913	Fritz Carlson	USA	2:25:14	–	–	–
1914	James Duffy	Canada	2:25:01	–	–	–
1915	Edouard Fabre	Canada	2:56:41	–	–	–
1916	William Kennedy	USA	2:27:11	–	–	–
1917	Bill Schick	USA	2:28:13	–	–	–
1918	Not held (military relay race)	–	–	–	–	–
1919	Carl Linder	USA	2:29:13	–	–	–

Year	Men	Men Country	Men Time	Women	Women Country	Women Time
1920	Panayotis Trivoulidis	Greece	2:29:31	–	–	–
1921	Frank Zuna	USA	2:18:57	–	–	–
1922	Clarance DeMar	USA	2:18:10	–	–	–
1923	Clarance DeMar	USA	2:18:51	–	–	–
1924	Clarance DeMar	USA	2:29:40	–	–	–
1925	Charles Mellor	USA	2:25:24	–	–	–
1926	Clarance DeMar	USA	2:37:07	–	–	–
1927	Clarance DeMar	USA	2:40:22	–	–	–
1928	Manuel Plaza	Chile	2:33:37	–	–	–
1929	Johnny Miles	Canada	2:33:08	–	–	–

Year	Men	Men Country	Men Time	Women	Women Country	Women Time
1930	Clarence DeMar	USA	2:34:48	–	–	–
1931	James Henigan	USA	2:33:45	–	–	–
1932	Jimmy Miller	Canada	2:33:36	–	–	–
1933	Les Pawson	USA	2:33:06	–	–	–
1934	Dave Komonen	Canada	2:32:53	–	–	–
1935	John A. Kelley	USA	2:32:07	–	–	–
1936	Ellison Brown	USA	2:33:40	–	–	–
1937	Walter Young	Canada	2:33:20	–	–	–
1938	Les Pawson	USA	2:35:40	–	–	–
1939	Ellison Brown	USA	2:28:51	–	–	–

Year	Men	Men Country	Men Time	Women	Women Country	Women Time
1940	Gerard Cote	Canada	2:28:25	–	–	–
1941	Leslie Pawson	USA	2:30:38	–	–	–
1942	Bernard Joseph Smith	USA	2:26:51	–	–	–
1943	Gerard Cote	Canada	2:28:25	–	–	–
1944	Gerard Cote	Canada	2:31:50	–	–	–
1945	John A. Kelley	USA	2:30:40	–	–	–
1946	Stylianos Kyriakides	Greece	2:29:27	–	–	–
1947	Suh Yun-bok	Korea	2:25:39	–	–	–
1948	Gerard Cote	Canada	2:31:02	–	–	–
1949	Ted Vogel	USA	2:32:39	–	–	–

Year	Men	Men Country	Men Time	Women	Women Country	Women Time
1950	Kee Yong Ham	South Korea	2:32:39	–	–	–
1951	Shigeki Tanaka	Japan	2:27:45	–	–	–
1952	Victor Dyrgall	USA	2:25:39	–	–	–
1953	Keizo Yamada	Japan	2:18:51	–	–	–
1954	Veikko Karvonen	Finland	2:20:39	–	–	–
1955	Hideo Hamamura	Japan	2:18:22	–	–	–
1956	Antti Viskari	Finland	2:23:00	–	–	–
1957	John J. Kelley	USA	2:20:05	–	–	–
1958	Franjo Mihalić	Yugoslavia	2:25:54	–	–	–
1959	Eino Oksanen	Finland	2:22:42	–	–	–

Year	Men	Men Country	Men Time	Women	Women Country	Women Time
1960	Paavo Kotila	Finland	2:20:54	–	–	–
1961	Dave Edge	Canada	2:27:18	–	–	–
1962	Eino Oksanen	Finland	2:23:29	–	–	–
1963	Aurele Vandendriessche	Belgium	2:18:58	–	–	–
1964	Aurele Vandendriessche	Belgium	2:19:59	–	–	–
1965	Morio Shigematsu	Japan	2:16:33	–	–	–
1966	Tōru Terasawa	Japan	2:22:17	Roberta Gibb	USA	3:21:40
1967	Dave McKenzie	New Zealand	2:15:45	Roberta Gibb	USA	3:27:17
1968	Amby Burfoot	USA	2:22:17	Roberta Gibb	USA	3:30:00
1969	Yoshiaki Unetani	Japan	2:13:49	Sara Mae Berman	USA	3:22:46

Year	Men	Men Country	Men Time	Women	Women Country	Women Time
1970	Ron Hill	Great Britain	2:10:30	Sara Mae Berman	USA	3:05:07
1971	Alvaro Mejia	Colombia	2:18:45	Sara Mae Berman	USA	2:55:92
1972	Olavi Suomalainen	Finland	2:15:39	Nina Kuscsik	USA	3:10:26
1973	Jon Anderson	USA	2:16:03	Jacqueline Hansen	USA	3:05:59
1974	Neil Cusack	Ireland	2:13:39	Michiko Gorman	USA	2:47:11
1975	Bill Rodgers	USA	2:09:55	Liane Winter	West Germany	2:42:24
1976	Jack Fultz	USA	2:20:19	Kim Merritt	USA	2:46:15
1977	Jerome Drayton	Canada	2:14:46	Miki Gorman	USA	2:48:33
1978	Bill Rodgers	USA	2:10:13	Gayle Barron	USA	2:44:52
1979	Bill Rodgers	USA	2:09:27	Joan Benoit	USA	2:35:15

Year	Men	Men Country	Men Time	Women	Women Country	Women Time
1980	Bill Rodgers	USA	2:12:11	Jacqueline Gareau	Canada	2:34:28
1981	Toshihiko Seko	Japan	2:09:26	Allison Roe	New Zealand	2:26:46
1982	Alberto Salazar	USA	2:08:52*	Lorraine Moller	New Zealand	2:32:30
1983	Greg Meyer	USA	2:09:00	Joan Benoit	USA	2:22:43
1984	Geoff Smith	Great Britain	2:10:34	Lorraine Moller	New Zealand	2:29:28
1985	Geoff Smith	Great Britain	2:14:05	Lisa Larsen-Weidenbach	USA	2:34:06
1986	Rob de Castella	Australia	2:07:51	Ingrid Kristiansen	Norway	2:24:55
1987	Toshihiko Seko	Japan	2:11:50	Rosa Mota	Portugal	2:25:21
1988	Ibrahim Hussein	Kenya	2:08:43	Rosa Mota	Portugal	2:24:30
1989	Abebe Mekonnen	Ethiopia	2:09:06	Ingrid Kristiansen	Norway	2:24:33

Year	Men	Men Country	Men Time	Women	Women Country	Women Time
1990	Gelindo Bordin	Italy	2:08:19	Rosa Mota	Portugal	2:25:24
1991	Ibrahim Hussein	Kenya	2:11:06	Wanda Panfil	Poland	2:24:18
1992	Ibrahim Hussein	Kenya	2:08:14	Olga Markova	Russia	2:23:43
1993	Cosmas Ndeti	Kenya	2:09:33	Olga Markova	Russia	2:25:27
1994	Cosmas Ndeti	Kenya	2:07:15	Uta Pippig	Germany	2:21:45
1995	Cosmas Ndeti	Kenya	2:09:22	Uta Pippig	Germany	2:25:11
1996	Moses Tanui	Kenya	2:09:15	Uta Pippig	Germany	2:27:12
1997	Lameck Aguta	Kenya	2:10:34	Fatuma Roba	Ethiopia	2:26:23
1998	Moses Tanui	Kenya	2:07:34	Fatuma Roba	Ethiopia	2:23:21
1999	Joseph Chebet	Kenya	2:09:52	Fatuma Roba	Ethiopia	2:23:25

Year	Men	Men Country	Men Time	Women	Women Country	Women Time
2000	Elijah Lagat	Kenya	2:09:47	Catherine Ndereba	Kenya	2:26:11
2001	Lee Bong-ju	South Korea	2:09:43	Catherine Ndereba	Kenya	2:23:53
2002	Rodgers Rop	Kenya	2:09:02	Margaret Okayo	Kenya	2:20:43
2003	Robert Kipkoech Cheruiyot	Kenya	2:10:11	Svetlana Zakharova	Russia	2:25:20
2004	Timothy Cherigat	Kenya	2:10:37	Catherine Ndereba	Kenya	2:24:27
2005	Hailu Negussie	Ethiopia	2:11:45	Rita Jeptoo	Kenya	2:25:42
2006	Robert Kipkoech Cheruiyot	Kenya	2:07:14	Rita Jeptoo	Kenya	2:23:38
2007	Robert Kipkoech Cheruiyot	Kenya	2:14:13	Lidiya Grigoryeva	Russia	2:29:18
2008	Robert Kipkoech Cheruiyot	Kenya	2:07:46	Dire Tune	Ethiopia	2:25:25
2009	Deriba Merga	Ethiopia	2:08:42	Salina Kosgei	Kenya	2:32:16

Year	Men	Men Country	Men Time	Women	Women Country	Women Time
2010	Robert Kiprono Cheruiyot	Kenya	2:05:52	Teyba Erkesso	Ethiopia	2:26:11
2011	Geoffrey Mutai	Kenya	2:03:02*	Caroline Kilel	Kenya	2:22:36
2012	Wesley Korir	Kenya	2:12:40	Sharon Cherop	Kenya	2:31:50
2013	Lelisa Desisa	Ethiopia	2:10:22	Rita Jeptoo	Kenya	2:26:25
2014	Meb Keflezighi	USA	2:08:37	Rita Jeptoo	Kenya	2:18:57
2015	Lelisa Desisa	Ethiopia	2:09:17	Caroline Rotich	Kenya	2:24:55
2016	Lemi Berhanu Hayle	Ethiopia	2:12:45	Atsede Baysa	Ethiopia	2:29:19
2017	Geoffrey Kirui	Kenya	2:09:37	Edna Kiplagat	Kenya	2:21:52
2018	Yuki Kawauchi	Japan	2:15:58	Desiree Linden	USA	2:39:54
2019	Lawrence Cherono	Kenya	2:07:57	Worknesh Degefa	Ethiopia	2:23:31

Year	Men	Men Country	Men Time	Women	Women Country	Women Time
2020	— Race cancelled	—	—	—	—	—
2021	Benson Kipruto	Kenya	2:09:51	Diana Kipyokei	Kenya	2:24:45
2022	Evans Chebet	Kenya	2:06:51	Peres Jepchirchir	Kenya	2:21:01
2023	Evans Chebet	Kenya	2:05:54	Hellen Obiri	Kenya	2:21:38

Clarence DeMar holds the record for most wins with seven victories. Bill Rodgers and Robert Cheruiyot each won four times. The course record is 2:03:02 by Geoffrey Mutai. Among women, the fastest time belongs to Buzunesh Deba with 2:19:59.

Boston Tragedy

On April 15, 2013, two explosions occurred 12 seconds apart at the Boston Marathon finish line. The blasts happened in a crowded area filled with runners, spectators, and journalists. Three people lost their lives. Over 280 others were injured — some severely.

The tragedy is considered the deadliest terrorist attack in the United States after September 11, 2001. Yet it did not break the spirit of the marathon community. Many survivors, having adapted to prosthetics, returned and completed the race in later years. The marathon embraced the slogan “Boston Strong,” symbolizing unity and resilience in the face of terror.